Yayoi
by Villemoo
Summary: Kagehisa is like March weather. Taito is like summer rainfalls. #Edit# So it's not a one-shot anymore... I read latest chapters of Mugen and can't help writing Anotsu and Magatsu. ;
1. Yayoi

**Author's Note: **"Blade of the Immortal" and all of its characters are propriety of Hiroaki Samura. Who is a genious.

* * *

March is an unpredictable month. You can get few days of beautiful warm and sunny weather in a row, and then a whole week of rainy pandemonium, with snow and hail for toppers. But as it nears the end, sunshine looses its coldness and sharpness, and _sakura_ start blooming. _Yayoi_. Truly, the world looks as if it was born just yesterday, and now mother nature experiments like a child – destroys and creates as it pleases – flooding villages or covering roads in a thin layer of petals.

It's funny though, even if cherry blossom is told to be most beautiful I always liked _ume_ and _momo_ better. The plum tree flowers first, when snow still lays in a shadowed places, and even at home near the fire it's chilly and unpleasant. But it's sure sign of approaching spring – pink or even red petals lying on a muddy ground, shattered under freshly fallen hail. This year, plum tree before Anotsu's _dojo_ lost all of its flowers in one night, because of the heavy rains. Pity, it always born fruits perfect for _umeshū_, or so I heard. Strangely, the trees in the backyard of Anotsu's mansion didn't seem to suffer from the rainfalls, and though they bloomed rather late, they seem quite alright. Now the space between the house and _tobiishi_ is covered in fallen petals of cherry and plum trees. Looks like snow with blood splattered on it. More so, because in the center there's Kagehisa, practicing his sword skills.

It amazes me to no end, how he unintentionally makes something as raw and violent as sword practice seem to be fine and delicate art. For mere peasant that I am, it could be one of fine court pastimes – so refined his moves are, so clean and graceful. It's an old exercise he does, just a simple _kata_, and against my usual defiance to this particular training, I can't take my eyes off of his swinging form. Push, shove, spin, and push. Even though he looks almost feminine in his movements I know each and every one of his swings is in reality calculated to kill. An outsider would probably think it's just a kid playing with some outrageous toy – his axe looks silly in comparison to _nihontō_ – big, curved and malformed. Kagehisa himself looks absurdly young. Even though we're roughly the same age, I'm always under impression that he's somehow pure. Silly thought, considering amount of blood that his seemingly delicate hands shed so far. Nevertheless there's this strange air of cleanliness when Anotsu is around. Maybe it's his face, always so blank, only eyes brightened by ambition. Or maybe _Baa-chan_ does magic with laundry.

He is polishing his skills almost maniacally, every day. Not only by direct work with actual weapon, like now, no, he's on a deeper level than that. He observes, measures and calculates everything carefully, and then makes his move without hesitation. Like in a fight. Funny thing, at the very beginning of our acquaintance I thought he's able to think only one thought at the time, so focused he seems on everything he does. Then I learned, that like a _shogi_ player he usually thinks few steps ahead. Now I know, he not only predicts, but also modifies happenings, basing his current actions on past and future as well. Come to think of it, Kagehisa is probably the most determined man on the face of earth; at least I never saw anyone so obsessed with their goal. I wonder if he would sell his body if it guaranteed gaining a fine swordsman like his greatest obsession – Makie. What an irony – whoring himself to buy a whore. Right now he looks like he'd be capable of doing it. His eyes are colder than water in a nearby pond, lips sealed in a thin line, expression so intent, it's almost cruel.  
My eyes drift when I see movement somewhere near the entrance to the _dojo_, and there is a mirrored look of resolve, just the face is definitely feminine now. It's hard not to laugh, seeing Anotsu bathed in cherry petals, swinging back end forth his axe with a predatory glare and behind him the girl, Sakura, oh irony of the name, regarding him with hungry eyes. Her gaze shifts after a while, and I see a flash of anger, before she ducks her head, and with carefully measured steps moves towards me. Kagehisa never stops his practice, even though long time ago I lost count of how many times he repeated the kata. Even though the axe is unbelievably heavy. Even though he came back from one of his trips just yesterday. Even though it's far past lunchtime and _Baa-chan_ is still busying herself in the kitchen.

Sakura finally reaches the porch, slips off her sandals, climbs up two steps, passing me as she goes into the house. Her shoulders are stiff with the tension that hangs between us from the day I arrived at Anotsu's mansion. She eyed me suspiciously from the very beginning. I guess she's in love with Kagehisa, but his coldness raises all kinds of suspicions in her pretty head. Our friendly behavior also can feed some strange assumptions. This thought amuses me to no end. Imagining myself with a man, samurai no less, is far beyond anything I could invent. To receive anything above a cold glare from Kagehisa seems ridiculous. It's laughable, to imply anything more than a boss-follower relationship between us. It's so hilarious at the moment, I laugh heartily before I can think better. Of course, it couldn't disturb my bosses practice, but he halts his movements nonetheless, and stares at me with an inquisitive look. Must have been more tired than it shows.

I don't say a word, because really, what there is to say? He's silent as well, as he approaches me slowly, sits down and contemplates falling flowers. Then someone shifts behind us and I see a cup and tea pot out of the corner of my eye. Ah, Sakura, always so considerate. She says she'll prepare the bath, and leaves and it's silent and peaceful again. Kagehisa just sits there, tea untouched, eyes fixed unseeingly on some point before him. Sun hides for a while behind cumulus clouds, and unpleasantly cold wind breaks up suddenly. Petals from cherry trees loose their calm drifting, and swirl frantically all around. Then it all stops as rapidly as it begun. I turn my head too look at Kagehisa. Soft rays of sunshine bring out color of his eyes – deep green, so uncommon – but don't manage to lessen severity of their gaze. He looks down at the cup in his hands. Few petals drift lazily in a clear liquid.  
"You're staring." His voice strangely soft is barely audible. "Just like the first time I met you." Now he smiles in this unique way of his. It's not a real smile by other people standards, but I learned to read his seemingly expressionless face so good, sometimes it makes me think I'm imagining things. Still, he is sitting here, eves turned down, and lips quirked in the slightest smirk ever. I can see his smile in the way his lashes fall down to hide sparkles of humor, in a way his shoulders loose their rigidness.  
It downs on me right in that moment, that there's probably no one else that sees Kagehisa in this vulnerable state. He's casual around Kuroi, but it's apparent he respects him as a teacher. He never looses his composure around women – always so direct and businesslike it's almost rude. Maybe, just maybe, there is really something between us, and I just happened to overlook it until now.

He turned his eyes to me now, one eyebrow lifted inquiringly. Shit. Have to say something, or else it'll turn out really weird. But then, I'm in no shape for reminiscing our first meeting – how equivocally it sounds! – so I resort to one of my carefully thought conversational evasions.

"Yeah, well, have to admit I'm starving as much as I did back then…" My hand goes automatically to the back of my neck. "_Baa-chan_ really takes her time preparing lunch today, won't you say?" No better way to avoid the subject, than to trivialize it. But then again, was there really any subject to be uneasy about?

He downs his tea in one gulp, stands up. Looks down on me, and for a brief moment I have the strongest urge to know what's in his head, since his face is stone cold again. His gaze lingers for a moment on my features, and then he just turns around, goes further into the house. I let myself slide down and lay on the cold boards. Perhaps I'm starting seeing things. Maybe I just got spoiled, living in Anotsu's _dojo_, without doing anything but accompanying my boss in his abundant trips. Sakura petal lands on my nose. I take it off, and just when I'm about to throw it away, it strikes me, how weather-beaten my skin looks in comparison to its pink pastelness. I don't belong here, at least not on the position I'm occupying. A peasant's son, spending his day mastering swordsmanship or doing nothing at all. Hilarious. Maybe I could start career as a street magician instead. Magatsu Taito – The Man in the Mask. Or The Mask on the Man. That could work…

Sakura's voice snatches me away from my musings. The lunch is ready. I sit up, still slightly at a loss. I never was good with handling feelings, especially my own confused ones. Actually I haven't got to take care of them before, everything was clearly defined. The samurai was bad. The world was cruel. That was it. As a self-thought _kengō_ I could live a simple, though dangerous life, slashing random opponents. Then I met Kagehisa and started eliminating his opponents, started being his bodyguard. Not that he needs one – he is perfectly capable of taking care of himself, even being outnumbered. As we worked together, we developed a coarse friendship, since he turned out to be surprisingly open minded and tolerant. My hand drifts to my eyes on its own. I'm thinking way too much, I can feel it in a steady pulsing behind my temples. I untie the string holding my hair and run my palms through spiky hair on my sculp. Then, a hand lands on my shoulder and I jump slightly. It's only Kagehisa. Our eyes meet. I get up without a word, and he turns around, leads the way to the _irori_. All members of the household are gathered around it now – _Baa-chan_, Sakura and errand boy, Ryōsuke – and Kagehisa takes his seat at the host place. There's only one seat left. The honor guest's place. I hesitate, but when Kagehisa looks up there's no room for a discussion. I sit down obediently.

_ Yayoi_. Anotsu is like this month – unpredictable and uncontrollable. Destroys and creates with the simplest gestures. Changes people's life seemingly without any trouble or hesitation. His moves are simple and elegant like soft drifting of falling flowers, but his mind is cold and merciless. Like a flood. My eyes drift to him again, only to find his green pupils boring into mine. Maybe I was swept away by the current and hadn't realized it until now?

* * *

**Comments are love. :)**


	2. Fortune Telling

**Title: **Fortune Telling  
**Genre:** General  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Word Count:** 3956  
**Author's Note: **"Blade of the Immortal" and all of its characters are propriety of Hiroaki Samura. Who is a genious.

* * *

They say if you dream of someone's death, it means they're lucky. What if you dream about someone that already isn't in this world? What if you dream about the killer, not the killed?

I suffer from nightmares. When I was younger, almost every night I saw slashed body of my sister. Her favourite toy - plain, rag ball - drenched in her blood. Almost every night I watched as yet another samurai passes the corpse without a glance. Such an unsightly view. It was, indeed, especially when my weak, small arms tried to gather her little body close to my chest, to make her whole again, somehow, to drive away the chill that was creeping inside her as fast as blood floating out of her fatal wound. I don't remember screaming, although I had to, since somehow my older sister appeared some time later. The cortège was long gone and I was sitting in the dirt on the side of the road, hugging my little sister's corpse, drenched in her blood. I remember fingers prying my hands off of her, someone's strong arms carrying me somewhere, whispers, cries, rough cloth scrubbing my skin and tender caresses and whispers lulling me to sleep. But when I closed my eyes I saw it all again, and leaped up, screaming again, night after night.

Eventually I learned to muffle my cries, and then nightmares themselves started to subside as well. But they never went away. From time to time I wake up suddenly, sitting, sweating, with my heavy breathing echoing in the depth of the night.

Just like now.

We defeated another _dōjō_ yesterday. All those samurai jerks, protecting their school, their master, so proud! And then so frightened, when one of freaks that came to them threatening, not all, but just one, defeats yet another of them, easily, hungry for blood, cold and merciless. Every time I fight with someone like one of those _bushi_ from my past I fight for myself from twelve years ago. For this little boy that couldn't protect his sister. For the little girl that didn't even have the time to comprehend that her life is over.

Nevertheless, it doesn't ease the ache that burns in my chest now. It never does, even though I tried to convince myself, that revenge is what I want, what I need. If I could find this bastard that killed her, then maybe... Maybe I could believe that her soul will rest in peace. Maybe I could live normally. What is done is done, though. There is no way I could ever track which samurai tried his sword on my family, so for the sake of my kins I'll kill all that came across my path. This Taito, without as much as a family name, a demon hunting demons.

Loud thump rouses me from my grim musings - hand on a _tatami_? - and to my terror I realize it came from Kagehisa's room. Without a thought I snatch one of the swords from the rack and silently half-run to the end of the corridor. I stop to listen - there's Kagehisa's heavy breath clearly audible - but it doesn't sound restrained in any kind, nor there is any indication of a fight. I sigh. That's a relief. I feel now, how fast is my heart beating in my chest. So rapid, so violent. It feels wrong, in this house where, paradoxically, there wasn't a single fight that wasn't a training. Yet.

"Oi, _Danna_, you okay?" I call through the thin paper door, as quiet as possible, so to not disturb anyone unnecessarily. There's a moment of hesitant silence on the other side of the _shōji_, but then I hear soft sigh of silk and cotton, then the door slides and there is Kagehisa, clad only in light _yukata_ and a little smile.

"I'm fine, thank you." His eyes travel down and fix on the hand I clutch the sword with. "No need to worry." He smiles at me again. Creepy. It's never a good sign when he smiles so much, especially not if it's only a grimace, like now.

"I just heard some noise and thought... Well it might... I mean, I was worried that..." He waves a hand, both dismissively and invitingly. Shut up and come inside it says, and that's what I do, glad that he ended my stuttering before I said something stupid.

Kagehisa sits under the window, gestures me to accompany him. For a while we just contemplate roar of crickets outside. The room is grey instead of pitch black, it's close to dawn. I turn my head to say something, but before I open my mouth I look at him closely. This proximity shows how tired he really is - paper thin skin under his eyes is a shade too dark, corners of the mouth hang down, deep line marks the space between his knitted brows. I wonder what could wake him up in the middle of the night, and almost instantly I come with an answer. Of course.

"Too bad no one else suffers from bad dreams tonight." I start quietly, as if talking to myself. I close my eyes and settle my head back on the broad windowsill. Still, I can feel Kagehisa's surprised look on me. I grin. "We could have a nice middle of the night party!" He laughs discreetly. Somehow I know that this time smile has reached his eyes, if not lips. It's good.

* * *

I watch him polish his swords. He never lets anyone else do that – even though Ittō-ryū has already twenty members, and he's busy with newcomers, conquering and search for Makie – but Kagehisa sticks to his routine as if he was still a teenager with only Kuroi and Abayama at his back.

There is an earthy smell in the air from the shower half an hour before, and I wonder, just briefly, could it be tainted with something like drug – because I'm starting to think funny again. There is never just watching with Kagehisa. Somehow, I fall into fine net of thoughts that are both foreign and familiar, natural and appalling.

The _futon_ is still spread on the _tatami_, Kagehisa himself sits on it cross-legged, all of his weapons waiting for their turn in his hands in a neat pile before him. It's alluring, this strange mix of vulnerability and deadliness. Kagehisa's _yukata_ is loosely bind, his hair for once not tied or restrained in any other way. Hands ghosting over blades are delicate, their movement sure but soft, as if there wasn't a deadly weapon in his grip, but a living thing, fine and fragile. One of his sleeves slipped down his arm a little, and though there's no femininity in the sharp, muscular line of his shoulders, the contrast between paleness of his skin and rich darkness of his hair is deceptively artful. But it's beauty in a raw form. There is hardly a move that is unnecessary.

His face is in its usual stone-cold unmoved state, which always reminds me of statues of warrior-gods from a nearby shrine. Kagehisa's mouth isn't twisted of course, his teeth aren't bared, forehead is clean and smooth. No hint of what is going inside his head is visible on the surface. And yet, he's just like those stone creatures in a way, face seemingly unable to express something more than one perpetual feeling. Determination. Calm and calculated ambition to win, to prevail by any means possible, overpower all that oppose him.

Strangely enough, even with that constant gloom on his face, Kagehisa looks **so** innocent and **young**. He barely changed since I saw him for the first time, almost three years ago. It's like he'll forever stay in his young, perfect form, deadly agile, body ready for the battle any time, deceptively delicate features focused on his weapon.

Then it strikes me , that it may be so, considering our lifestyles, number of threats that fall at Ittō-Ryūalmost everyday. He may not live long enough to get old, grow beard, develop all those meaningful wrinkles around his eyes and lips. Perhaps, neither I may live to see the day of his fall. What appals me the most is the realization, that my own death doesn't seem so scary, but one thought of Kagehisa's fall echoes with dull pain in my chest. As my boss, I think, it would be unbearable to loose him, because then I'd loose my purpose as well. But it rings false even in my own head and suddenly I can't even look at him any more.

Turning to leave I notice his eyes shifting at the movement. One, two, three steps and I can hear him move behind me. Soft "What's wrong?" glues me to the ground, so I stand there, not trusting my voice at the moment, with my back to Kagehisa.

"Nothing." I say, and thankfully, it's as dry as it should be for a detached kenshi. I wonder if he'll push, if he'll say I lied - because anyone can tell with me, Kagehisa uses to say - if he'll try to stop me. He does, in the most unexpected way. His hand, calloused and warm, lands on my shoulder, and I can't surpass surprised yelp at the strange gesture. My head turns slightly to regard him form the corner of my eye, and I can see he's amused. No a hint of a smile on his face though. Grip on my shoulder is steady, but has an edge to it, that leaves me the choice - if I want to stay or not. I choose the latter.

"I'll check if _B__ā__-chan_ has made breakfast yet." I say as I start walking away. Kagehisa is silent, only his hand slides listless down my spine, back to his side.

_B__ā__-chan_ is still bustling in the kitchen, so I make myself some tea and go to the backyard. The air is crisp after the rain that fell last night, the fragrance of earth mixes with freshness of grass. I sit on the _engawa_, sip my drink slowly and watch bugs and birds flying back and forth. Grey kitten is slinking to the beetle sitting on a rock. It's moves are smooth and silent, though there is a hint of excitement visible in its slightly shivering legs, nervously twitching ears. Tail, beating rhythmically kittens' sides, stills for a brief moment and then the cat dashes forward, trying to trap the beetle.

It fails miserably, paws only brushing bottle-green crust. Pink nose lands in a puddle.

Kitten sits and starts cleaning itself.

"Ah, it shall rain!" I turn around just in time to see a flinging hem of Kuroi's black cloak. He sits beside me, on my right, so his face isn't obscured by mysterious thing growing from his arm. I never asked what it was, and I'm sure I wouldn't like to know, even if someone volunteer to tell me themselves. It spreads strange smell.

"Wasn't is that the guest arrives, when cat washes it's face?" I ask, trying not to flinch, when I notice slight wavering of this **thing** on his shoulder. Gross.

"That depends on who you are depending on." That smile. It freaks me out the same as when I first saw him. As if he **knew**. I don't know what exactly, but still...

"Anyway, neither this nor that would be fortunate for us." Better stop talking with him, before he starts asking questions. Just in case. I down the rest of my tea in one gulp, and get up. Or try to, because in the middle of straightening my back I sneeze. Hard.

"Hahah, someone's talking good about you!" Kuroi graces me with a smile. What an eyesore.

"Wonder who." I try to proceed with going back inside, but then I sneeze again. I bend so hard I have to lean on a column. What the hell?

"Or maybe not that good after all..." He laughs openly now. That thing on his right shoulder bounces slightly. I feel slightly nauseous at the sight. I don't have a chance to reply to that, though, because I sneeze yet again.

"Who would have thought?" Kagehisa appeared in a doorway. "My , my, Magatsu, didn't know you're such a ladies' man." He's amused, obviously. I prey for one more sneeze. I do prey hotly.

It never comes.

Kuroi still laughs and Kagehisa smirks openly. I'd rather have pneumonia, honestly. One little sneeze separate love from sickness. Oh the irony.

"Young master, breakfast is ready." Luckily, _B__ā__-chan_ rescues me from taunts that surely would follow. I love that woman. Not only does she cook (estimated time of every meal moved around an hour later), she also makes me scrub _d__ō__j__ō__'s_ floor with her (she instructs, I scrub), spread and fold the _futon_ (she instructs, I spread and fold), and carry water to the bath (she instructs, I train. Yes, carrying buckets heavy with water is good training!).

Manipulative old hag.

No wonder though that I have bad luck from the dawn. It's _tomobiki_ today. Bad things happening to your friends, they say. Unfortunately for myself, I've found that my amicable feelings towards my boss are mutual. Well, damn. Could've known it'll bring more harm than good.

I sneeze again and go after Kuroi and Kagehisa, who already disappeared into the house.

* * *

It's raining again, and there's no _ry__ō__kan_ nor tea house in approximately five _ri_, so we're marching stubbornly in the downpour, looking for some kind of shelter for the night.

I'm sneezing almost constantly - it was a cold after all! - and it's the only sound, apart from the rain, that can be heard. Visited yet another village in his futile search for his cousin, Kagehisa yet again withdraws, shuts himself from the world. Fine with me. I'm in Ittō-Rryū not for conversation anyway. Have to admit though, it slightly bothers me sometimes. Once again I wish I knew what's in his mixed up head.

Thankfully, even if I ponder strange ways of my boss, I'm still fully aware of the outside world, which allows me to notice familiar tree beside the road. Haphazardly twisted _momiji_ marks the path to the nearby shrine. Roof! All I need now! Constant Chinese torture of raindrops falling on me, bumping stubbornly from my nose, sneaking past my collar is almost too much to bear, when I realize only few minutes away there's a solid piece of roof!

I sneeze.

"Oi, _Danna_..." Kagehisa turns to me slightly, not changing his pace the least. "How 'bout we go and dry ourselves off for a change?"

He raises slender brow inquiringly, and I stop, because we already passed the entrance to the shrine's tract. I roll my eyes at him, which I know he hates. Can't help it.

"There's a shrine nearby." I point backwards with my thumb and sneeze. "I could really use a dry piece of floor right now, you know..." I sneeze again, just for good measure.

He smiles lightly, first expression on his blank face since we entered that godforsaken village yesterday, and even though it looks more like a grimace I somehow feel it's honest. Good, he's insufferable when he feels miserable.

Or maybe that's just me and my cold.

The shrine looks neglected. We pass under weathered black _torii_, with moss nearly all over it. Underneath there are pitiful remains of _shimenawa_, an indication that no one was here for a really long time. I stop by _temizuya_. Kagehisa doesn't say a word, but looks rather amused, as I wash my hands and mouth. Sure we're drenched, but hey, it's a shrine. Abandoned or not, better not fall foul of gods. Unless you are as detached as Kagehisa.

We enter _haiden_. I go in first, ring the bell, bow, clap my hands and ask _kami _living in this place to share some space for a little while, with two thoroughly soaked travellers. To my astonishment, when I open my eyes I hear clapping of hands to my left. There is Anotsu, head bowed, concentrating hard on something... Maybe he isn't as cool-headed as I thought? Or maybe he's so desperate to find his cousin, that he turns even to something he usually just smirks at? He could be just mocking me as well...

The floor is so dry that dust flies all around the place when we move to see where to settle for the night. It's still fairly bright outside, but since there isn't anything we could do until it stops raining, a good snooze is seemingly the best way to use our time here. Pity we can't make a fire though, I started shivering a while ago. Every time I sneeze, cloud of dust surrounds me, which only makes things worse. Every place of floor is equally dirty, so I choose the corner farthest from the entrance, which might have be quite cosy, if not for the suspicious tangled pile that moved when I came close. Oh, nice...

"Hey, _Danna_, we've got company here!" I strain my eyes using little light there is to at least determine the colour of the snake. I wonder if flicker of red is fidget of my imagination. If not we might have nice dinner.

Oh wait, no fire. Damn.

I feel a rush of air behind me. Snake stills with its head up.

„So what are you planning to do with that sweetheart?"

„Dunno. It's probably just a _jimuguri_ anyway. No point killing it." I take my sword from behind my _obi_, sheath and all, and inch towards the reptile. It dashes forward, sharp teeth sinks into the leather. I grab the snake just behind its head, and go out, into the downpour again, back to the _torii_, where I set it free.

"Have a nice night with some rat, buddy."

Freshly drenched again I enter the _haiden_ to see Kagehisa has already hung his _haori_ on a _tant__ō_ he drove into a wall. Currently he was sprawling his pale mint kimono on the dusty floor.

"So... What are the arrangements for the night?" I ask, disrobing myself slowly. Damp clothes are uncomfortable, but I feel as if I could shake the wetness off with my shivers. Kagehisa sits down, back to the wall and smirks at me. I freeze, halfway through unbinding my _obi_, and gape. And sneeze.

"You don't mean..." I start because that's just too ridiculous and I hope I'm just seeing things. Seriously now. He's just making fun of me, testing how far he can push before I break and say or do something stupid. Somehow I feel that tonight I don't need much.

Today is _senbu_. No luck before noon, a lot of it in the afternoon. I wonder briefly, if those superstitions aren't mean to read contrarily. Seriously now. That, or they were made by exceptionally cruel demons to start with.

Kagehisa reaches out his hand. "Give me your kimono." As simple as that, he says it and I obey. He sits there, only in his black under-shirt and knee high pants, much like mine. Grabs navy blue fabric with one hand and motions for me to sit down. "Come here."

I stare at him. "You kidding me?" It's beyond funny now, he's serious.

"You cached a cold. I can see you shivering from here. We have to keep you warm." It's that simple for him, just keep me warm, before _B__ā__-chan_ drenches me in one of her concoctions. I make conscious effort, and sit there, turned back to him. His chest isn't broader than mine, but it feels solid as a wall. I sit up abruptly, gather my hair and tie it with a strap of leather. I sneeze and settle back again. Kagehisa's arms spread my kimono over us both, then encircles me loosely. I'm still shivering, but he emanates heat like a stove.

"Feels weird, you know." He makes an acknowledging grunt, but otherwise stays silent. It still rains. Setting sun changes transparent fluid into brooks of liquid gold and streams of blood. How many real blood we will shed before Anotsu reaches his goal? How many before I reach my goal?

What would that be anyway? Wading in the river of corpses, perhaps? Over past few years I kept on killing samurai, yes, but was it more fore my own sake or Kagehisa's? I lost count of the people I killed, and it didn't even bothered me any more. Which, ironically, bothered me itself. But the most disturbing thing was, I knew I wouldn't leave Kagehisa. That I will kill for him again, convincing myself I do that because it's the fastest way to eliminate those scum that ended the life of my baby sister. Even if deep down I know it's not really my fight any more, that I'm protecting his ideals, not mine.

Quite a friendship we have.

"What next, _Danna_?" I ask quietly. "It's turn for Tomomi-Ryū this time, right?" I twist my head slightly and I'm met by the perfect view of Kagehisa's chin. He rests his head on the wall, and I think he's asleep, so I settle back down. Then I feel move of muscles behind my head and sense a cheek pressed to the back of my head.

"It is. I planned a visit on next week." His voice is muffled, and I can feel his warm breath ghosting over my ear. Sleepy.

"Good, I'll be as good as new then." I'm warm all over now, so comfortable I could easily fall asleep in the next ten seconds.

"Knowing your luck you'll be pinned to bed anyway."

"Huh? What's **that** supposed to mean?!" No sleep for neither of us, it seems. I angle my head up and meet his eyes this time. He's amused, clearly.

"Why, you have a fucked up karma, that's all." He grins, so unlike himself, and unwinds one hand from my chest. Sneaks it down my arm and gently nudges the kimono aside, as he brings my our hands closer to his eyes. He examines lines on my palm closely in the last rays of sunlight, velvety scarlet glow bringing out deep wrinkles in a strange relief. Kagehisa knits his brows, twist his lips mockingly and gives a low pensive murmur.

"Yes, I see... Interesting..." Index finger slides along one of the lines. "See, this is fate line. It's short, so it means you're short on luck." He gives me a triumphing look.

I glance on my hand as well. "_Danna_... That is the head line. If it's short it means I'm not the sharpest tool in a box. This-" I point with my other hand. "Is fate line. The deeper it is, the grater things you achieve." I grab his hand and compare the lines on our palms. "See, yours is deeper than mine."

"Didn't know you're such an expert in this matter." He breathes right into my ear. I shiver slightly. Kagehisa twists his hand and encircles both my wrists loosely, tuck our arms back under the kimono.

"'Am not." I say to distract myself, because I pay attention to Kagehisa's body way too much. now that we're so surprisingly close. "I'm just not that ignorant not to know you should read character from left palm instead of right."

He smirks, lowers his head, rests his forehead at the base of my neck. I lay my head back on his shoulder. "We should sleep now." He whispers.

This evening nightmares spare both of us.

* * *

One more note from yours truly: this is actually chapter three, I just haven't wrote first chapter yet... ^^" I didn't want to post every of my Mugen one-shots separately, that's why it's that weird.

Hope you enjoyed!


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